HBI Staff | Mumbai 
In a significant address to the Joint Sitting of the Two Houses of Parliament, President of India, Droupadi Murmu, emphasised the growing global interest in heritage tourism in India. The President highlighted key achievements and initiatives taken by the Government of India over the past decade to boost the tourism sector, pilgrimage destinations, and historical sites across the nation.
Murmu noted that tourism, a major employment provider, has witnessed unprecedented growth in the last 10 years. Both domestic and foreign tourist numbers have surged, attributing the increase to India’s rising global stature. She credited improved connectivity, the construction of airports, and the country’s expanding recognition for this positive trend.
The President highlighted the North East as a region experiencing record-breaking tourist arrivals, with heightened excitement surrounding the Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. She emphasised the government’s focus on developing pilgrimage destinations and historical sites, making pilgrimage in India more accessible. The world’s growing interest in heritage tourism was underscored, with notable statistics of visitor influx to renowned sites like Kashi, Mahakaal, Kedar Dham, and Ayodhya Dham during the last year. She outlined the unprecedented expansion of facilities at pilgrimage sites across India, spanning all regions. She expressed the government’s intention to position India as a leading destination for meetings and exhibitions, citing the creation of facilities like Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi. The President concluded with the prediction that tourism would become a major source of employment in the near future.
